| November 22nd, 2004 05:33 AM |
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| kmc |
At this time 35 years ago, I was on a bus to Philadelphia (my parents forbid me to go at 16 but I left the house) to see the Rolling Stones in concert - not counting airports and Ed Sullivan - for the first time. (In those days you waited at the concert venue overnight as tickets went on sale at 9 the next morning, two months ahead of time. Around 8 bucks a ticket.)
After the Terry Reid, BB King, Tina Turner warmup, the wait began. After about 40 minutes the lights went out, the crowed roared and my friend and I - sitting about 40 rows back on the floor - took off for the stage. So did hundreds of others. Security people had no clue. Made it about halfway to the front when I was pushed into a side aisle. Still a great view of the show. (The only thing you knew about the tour up to then was what you read in Rolling Stone Mag which you had to travel to some �head shop� in NYC to purchase. FM radio really didn�t talk about it that much. NY Post rock columnist Ralph Gleason had written that Tina Turner had blown them off the stage in LA weeks earlier and the Stones were sloppy. I also remember Jagger on the cover of �Ramparts� magazine. Big article. Think it was during the tour.)
The Stones killed in Philly. Show ran late. We missed the bus back. Had to wait for a 3 a.m. train. In an act of God, I walked a mile from station to my house. 6 a.m. picked up a newspaper. As I was tiptoeing in to sneak upstairs, my father was coming out. He stared at me. I held up the paper and said, �Just went around the corner.� He must have been still half awake, because he then walked out the door. Never said a word about it. Still my greatest escape.
Fast forward to Madison Square Garden - two days later - Thanksgiving night. Place was buzzing. Janis Joplin - in white fur hat and coat - danced on stage with Tina Turner. This time during intermission we made our way down to the front of the stage well before. Five feet away when the Stones came out. But it was super hot. Jammed. Girls fainting. People in front row cursing all the upstarts who had plowed into the area in front. People then standing on chairs.
Friday was the �Breakfast Show� - my friend actually took his mom - she was Greek, thought �Paint It Black� was an ethnic song - wanted to see what he was so crazy about - so we stayed in our seats. Said she enjoyed it.
Back the same night for the finale. (Can you imagine TWO SHOWS IN ONE DAY?!!!) Wanted to capture the moment. Should I bring tape recorder or movie camera. Opted for the movie camera and got 5 minutes of 8mm tape from about 15 away at the start of the show. In hindsight, wish I brought the tape recorder.
My view of the shows has long been colored by repeated watchings of �Gimme Shelter� and listening to �Live�r� and �Ya�s Ya�s.� Look for myself in the movie but haven�t seen me yet.
Did leave knowing I had seen something special. The movie and music releases prove it.
Some things I do remember were Keith singing more back up vocals, but not heard on the record, Ian Stewart sitting down at the piano which was set up way in the back almost behind the drums and playing on some of the latter numbers, a lot more people climbing on the stage and making a run at Jagger as the show went on, and with Mick Taylor being almost a �statue� - Keith�s guitar seemed to be dominating the songs.
35 years ago. . . I�m getting old. |
| November 22nd, 2004 06:40 AM |
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| headshrinker |
i envy u soooo much. u didn't happen to notice anyone recording the 1st show on that friday at MSG did u. coz i know that its a highly sought after bootleg |
| November 22nd, 2004 07:15 AM |
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| kmc |
i didn't see anyone doing taping at the shows. not many people thought to do so at the time. that's why when "live'r" came out the following summer it was like a revelation!
confirmed all the great stuff i only thought i had heard. |
| November 22nd, 2004 07:16 AM |
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| Gazza |
Great story - thanks for sharing it.
yeah - two shows in one day. Changed times for sure. Next tour we'll be lucky to get two in the same week! |
| November 22nd, 2004 07:24 AM |
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| Mr Hess |
Great story!!
And I just missed getting tix for those '69 MSG shows! I was 16 amd didn't know squatz about scalpers etc.
Had to wait to see them for the first time at MSG in 1972! |
| November 22nd, 2004 08:03 AM |
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| Gazza |
quote:
Mr Hess wrote:
Had to wait to see them for the first time at MSG in 1972!
yeah, and I bet THAT was a shit experience!!! LOL |
| November 22nd, 2004 12:24 PM |
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| Lazy Bones |
Great read. Thanks for taking us back! |
| November 22nd, 2004 12:30 PM |
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| egon |
great stuff.
we need more of these stories. |
| November 22nd, 2004 12:50 PM |
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| mac_daddy |
thanks - great post! |
| November 22nd, 2004 01:26 PM |
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| glencar |
Wow. |
| November 22nd, 2004 04:09 PM |
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| keefriffhard |
Great story KMC, how times have changed! |
| November 22nd, 2004 04:44 PM |
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| Lazy Bones |
quote:
keefriffhard wrote:
Great story KMC, how times have changed!
No shit - 8 bucks a ticket! |
| November 22nd, 2004 04:53 PM |
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| Gazza |
there were actually huge complaints on that tour about how high the ticket prices were - it was a record high at the time!!
Good to see some things havent changed!!! |
| November 22nd, 2004 05:04 PM |
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| Joey |
Great Post !
Thanks !
Please feel free to take the rest of the day off .. !
Jacky ! � |
| November 22nd, 2004 10:23 PM |
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| Soldatti |
Great story, thanks. |
| November 23rd, 2004 05:33 AM |
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| headshrinker |
quote:
egon wrote:
great stuff.
we need more of these stories.
surely there must be some more of you with stories from back in the day (the taylor days) |
| November 23rd, 2004 07:10 AM |
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| Gazza |
theres quite a few here who go even further back than that! |
| November 23rd, 2004 07:35 PM |
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| Lil Brian |
quote:
Gazza wrote:
yeah - two shows in one day. Changed times for sure. Next tour we'll be lucky to get two in the same week!
Gazza-
At a risk, I'd say the shows today last too long.
I'd rather see 4 (1HR) vs. 2 (2HRS).
Maybe they can bring that format back in their retirement. :-)
KMC- thanks for the good story. |
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